Ghislaine Maxwell’s accusers have spoken out, after she was found guilty of recruiting underage girls to be sexually abused by Jeffrey Epstein.
The 60-year-old was accused of recruiting and grooming four teenagers for Epstein to sexually abuse between 1994 and 2004 at his various properties.
The British socialite was convicted of five of the six counts she was facing on Wednesday, following a three-week trial.
GHISLAINE MAXWELL VERDICT: Ghislaine Maxwell, the longtime associate of serial sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, convicted on five of six counts related to the abuse and trafficking of underage girls. https://t.co/QZHnhL89cQ pic.twitter.com/l7EbJy16J3
— ABC News (@ABC) December 29, 2021
Epstein’s ex-girlfriend was found guilty of “conspiracy to entice” underage girls to be abused by him, as well as transporting and sex trafficking the teenagers.
However, she was cleared of “enticing a girl under 17 (an accuser with the pseudonym Jane) to travel with intent to engage in illegal sexual activity”.
Reacting to the verdict, a lawyer for Annie Farmer, one of four women who testified against Maxwell in court, said: “Today’s verdict is a towering victory not just for the brave women who testified in this trial, but for the women around the world whose young and tender lives were diminished and damaged by the abhorrent actions of Ghislaine Maxwell.”
A lawyer for Carolyn, who claimed she was sexually abused by Epstein and Maxwell from the age of 14, said: “The conviction of Ghislaine Maxwell is a welcome confirmation of the veracity of the charges brought against her on behalf of the very brave young women whom she directly participated in abusing.”
Virginia Giuffre, an alleged victim of Epstein and Maxwell, also reacted to the verdict on Twitter.
She tweeted: “My soul yearned for justice for years and today the jury gave me just that. I will remember this day always.”
My soul yearned for justice for years and today the jury gave me just that. I will remember this day always.
Having lived with the horrors of Maxwell’s abuse, my heart goes out to the many other girls and young women who suffered at her hands and whose lives she destroyed.
1/2— Virginia Giuffre (@VRSVirginia) December 29, 2021
“Having lived with the horrors of Maxwell’s abuse, my heart goes out to the many other girls and young women who suffered at her hands and whose lives she destroyed.”
“I hope that today is not the end but rather another step in justice being served. Maxwell did not act alone. Others must be held accountable. I have faith that they will be.”
Maxwell, who denied the charges against her in court, will be sentenced at a later date.
Following the verdict, a statement issued by the US attorney’s office said: “A unanimous jury has found Ghislaine Maxwell guilty of one of the worst crimes imaginable – facilitating and participating in the sexual abuse of children. Crimes that she committed with her long-time partner and co-conspirator, Jeffrey Epstein.”
“The road to justice has been far too long. But, today, justice has been done. I want to commend the bravery of the girls – now grown women – who stepped out of the shadows and into the courtroom. Their courage and willingness to face their abuser made this case, and today’s result, possible.”
“I also want to thank the career prosecutors of the Southern District of New York, who embraced the victims’ quest for justice and have worked tirelessly, day in and day out, to ensure that Maxwell was held accountable for her crimes.”
“This office will always stand with victims, will always follow the facts wherever they lead, and will always fight to ensure that no-one, no matter how powerful and well connected, is above the law,” the statement concluded.
